iBall Baton 1200M Smart 802.11ac dual-band router launched

iBall has launched Baton 1200M Smart Dual Band Wireless AC Router offering with a transmission speed of up to 1200Mbps. It has Wi-Fi standard 802.11ac, supports both DSL and Broadband connections, sports 4 omnidirectional antennas, with MU-MIMO Technology that shares the available bandwidth into separate individual streams equally to the connected wireless devices to improve Wi-Fi experience with better bandwidth performance and handle data more efficiently – stronger speed with better performance. The Beamforming Technology improves coverage by directing bandwidth to connected devices.  In sync with the Mobile App i-Connect, the router can be managed remotely, anytime, anywhere. This further enables password protection, monitoring of online client devices, LED control, Remove Wake up among several others. Highlights of iBall Baton 1200M router 802.11ac Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz 2X2 up to 1167 Mbps  4 x 5dBi omni-directional antennas with MU-MIMO Technology Smart App Management to manage and monitor your Router at your fingertips Wireless scheduling and Bandwidth management Multi-operation mode: Router / WISP / Access Point function  3 x 10/100 Mbps LAN ports, 1 x 10/100 Mbps LAN port Buttons - 1 x WPS/Reset button, 1 x WiFi on/off button LEDs - 1 - SYS, 1 - WiFi, 1 - WAN, 3 - LAN The iBall ...

Vivo NEX with 6.59-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845, 8GB RAM, in-display fingerprint sensor launched in India for Rs. 44990

Vivo just launched NEX, the company's latest smartphone in India, as it had promised. It was introduced as NEX S in China in May, packs a 6.59-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED screen with ultra narrow bezels with 91.24 screen-to-body ratio, Screen SoundCasting Technology, and 8-megapixel pop-up front camera that automatically rises and hides when you open and close the camera app. This uses extremely precise micro-stepping motors, with independent drive ICs and precision control algorithms to precisely control this process, says Vivo. It has a 12-megapixel rear camera with Sony IMX363 sensor, 4-axis OIS, along with 5-megapixel secondary rear camera for AI portrait shots with auto scene detection. It has an in-display fingerprint sensor, and the company says that the third-generation screen fingerprint technology, is smaller, and more powerful offering 50% better accuracy and the unlocking speed is increased by 10% compared to the predecessor. The phone runs on Android 8.1 (Oreo) with Jovi AI and Funtouch OS 4.0. The phone comes in Star Diamond Black color that uses holographic technology and a metal frame. Vivo NEX specifications 6.59-inch (2316×1080 pixels) Full HD+ Super AMOLED 19.3:9 aspect ratio display, DCI-P3 color gamut 2.8GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 845 64-bit 10nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU 8GB RAM, 128GB storage Dual SIM Funtouch OS ...

Google warns change in Android business model post $5.04 billion EU penalty

The EU has fined Google with a $5.04 billion for forcing its apps on Android manufacturers. To put it in simple words, EU wants Google to unbundle its Chrome and Search app from Android phones, but this might have implication in the future of free-Android business model. Google CEO Sundar Pichai in a response to  EU’s $5 billion fine, claims that users install an average of 50 apps themselves and also gives the ability to remove the pre-installed app any time they wish.  The vast majority of the free-Android model is dependant on the app bundling and preventing it from bundling its own apps, will upset the Android ecosystem. In a blog post, Google CEO, Sundar Pichai said: "If phone makers and mobile network operators couldn’t include our apps on their wide range of devices, it would upset the balance of the Android ecosystem. So far, the Android business model has meant that we haven't had to charge phone makers for our technology or depend on a tightly controlled distribution model. " On the other hand, EU made no suggestions on how Google should solve its app bundling violations. But if the phone makers were given the chance to bundle their browser instead of Chrome and point search ...

Instagram said to be testing Facebook-like reactions to Stories

Facebook reactions are now a year old, and these go along with the very famous 'Like' button. The company pushed them to Messenger as well and now Facebook is looking to bring these on its flagship product; Instagram. This isn't the first time we have seen such a thing for Instagram; we have seen references back in April as well. At this moment, it is also not clear if this feature was iOS-exclusive, though users on Twitter reported that they had it for quite a while, and it was live for everyone in their county. The U.I element this time around seems to be different from what we have seen in April. Previously, the reaction stickers were available only when the user started typing a reply to Story, now we see a dedicated on the bottom left. It has six reactions: applause, cry-laughing, heart eyes, face with open mouth, crying, and fire. Even though the feature was spotted in the Instagram  v54.0.0.14.82 stable, it might be related to server-side push and not dependent on the app version. Do let us know if you are able to see the reactions. Source

Nokia 3.1 Android One smartphone with 5.2-inch 18:9 display, Android Oreo launched in India for Rs. 10499

HMD Global has launched Nokia 3.1, successor of last year’s Nokia 3 in India. The Android One smartphone was introduced at an event in Russia back in May, and packs a 5.2-inch HD+ 2.5D curved glass display with 18:9 aspect  ratio, is powered by MediaTek MT6750 SoC with 2GB RAM, runs Android 8.0 (Oreo), which is upgradable to Android P in future, has a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel camera on the front. It has a polycarbonate back and aluminium sides with a dual diamond cut design and packs a 2900mAh battery. Nokia 3.1 specifications 5.2-inch (720 x 1440 pixels) HD+ 2.5D curved glass display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection Octa-Core MediaTek MT6750N (4 x 1.5GHz A53 + 4 x 1.0GHz A53) processor with Mali T860 GPU 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Android 8.0 (Oreo) OS, upgradable to Android P Dual SIM 13MP rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.0 aperture 8MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, 84.6-degree wide-angle lens 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio Dimensions: 146.25 x 68.65 x 8.7mm; Weight: 138.3 g 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, GPS 2990mAh battery The Nokia 3.1 comes in Blue/Copper, Black/Chrome and White/Iron colors, is priced at Rs. 10,499 and will be available ...

Samsung Galaxy Watch with Tizen OS, improved healthcare features said to launch alongside Galaxy Note9 on August 9

Samsung is rumored to launch a new smartphone for quite some time, it is also reported that the company is sketching plans to bring the smartwatch series under the Galaxy line-up. In what was initially believed to be called as the Gear S4 may actually be launched as the Galaxy Watch. But what is unknown are the details regarding the launch. Previous reports suggested that it will be launching alongside the Galaxy Note 9 at the IFA 2018 convention in Berlin this September. However, a new report from Korea now says the same and goes on to claim that it will go on sale on the same as the Galaxy Note 9; i.e, on August 24th. Though Samsung confirmed the Galaxy Note 9 launch on August 9th, it hasn't teased anything about the Galaxy Watch. Contrary to rumors, the new Galaxy Watch will still be a Tizen device and will run Tizen OS, not the Wear OS. It will be available in two versions that differ in size. Report further states that Galaxy Watch will pack improved healthcare features and the company will offer top of the line app relating to the fitness features. Pre-orders for the Galaxy Watch will reportedly begin on August 14, which again ...

BlackBerry KEY2 Lite with dual rear cameras surfaces in live image, could be announced at IFA 2018

BlackBerry announced its flagship KEY2 at an event in New York City last month. Now the details about the cheaper KEY2 Lite has surfaced along with a live image, thanks to @evleak. The smartphone is said to come with a similar design and form factor as the KEY2, but this will have a plastic body. *This plastic 'Berry is said to launch late August / early September, perhaps at IFA. — Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 18, 2018 This is code-named Luna, which was rumored earlier and will likely feature a similar 3:2 aspect ratio display along with a 4-row QWERTY physical backlit keyboard. The smartphone is said to come in Red, Blue, and Copper. The image that has surfaced shows a Blue or Black back with red finish on the sides, and probably on the front as well. The BlackBerry KEY2 Lite is expected to be announced sometime in late-August or early September, so there are chances we might expect it at the IFA 2018. Source

VLC update for iPhone and iPad brings support for Chromecast, 360 videos and more

VLC for iOS is getting a new update with a handful of new features; this update brings the version number to 3.1.0. First and foremost, it brings much-needed support for Chromecast which allows users to stream content from VLC to Chromecast enabled TV.  Next on the list the ability to view 360 videos by simply tilting/moving their phone. VLC is also rolling out bug fixes for issues like downloaded files disappearing, Google Drive logins, and improvements too H.264/H.265 hardware decoding. The update is already available for iPhones and iPads and it is free to download from the App Store. Here's the full changelog: We added a feature many of you waited for: Chromecast support · We fixed a bug where files on your phone were not displayed in VLC · 360 videos can be viewed by moving your phone now · Stability and performance improvements when decoding H.264/H.265 in hardware · Improved audio playback quality · Fixed a regression preventing the download of certain media files via http · Fixed a regression where downloaded files might disappear · Fixed a regression where users couldn't log into Google Drive Image Via

Netflix TV redesign with new sidebar, sections for TV shows and movies starts rolling out

Netflix today introduced a brand new for TV experience and this new design is based on how the company can make it easier to find relevant content on TVs, focusing majorly on where the navigation is tougher when you are left with few buttons on a remote control. The new TV interface now makes it easier to search and view new content added to the service. Browsing is now is less complex with either TV series or movies since users are not always sure of what to watch next. It also made it easier to access titles you’ve saved for later viewing in My List. Netflix says that this new design during testing,  helped members find something great to watch. Netflix said that it will be rolling many improvements out over the coming months to make the platform even better for user around the world. The new TV experience will begin rolling out to everyone all over the world starting today. Stephen Garcia, Director, Product Innovation in a blog post said: Along those lines, we will continuously learn from our members and evolve the TV experience so that it gets even more simple, fun and easy to find the stories that make Netflix great. Much like how ...

Samsung said to launch foldable Galaxy X smartphone in early 2019

It is a known fact that Samsung is working on a foldable smartphone and this phone is said to be launching in 2019. Now according to fresh rumors coming from sources of The Wall Street Journal, the phone bears an internal codename 'Winner' and sports a 7-inch display and will arrive as early as 2019.  Samsung is aiming to compete with Huawei's foldable phone which is also slated to be coming later this year and also offer something that can outshine the demand for the upcoming iPhone X's.  The 'Galaxy X' expected to pack a 7-inches display when folded out, which is roughly the size of a small tablet. When opened, the phone is “almost all screen,” the report notes. However, the company might still change the final design before the official launch, but the foldable project had taken a greater sense of urgency in recent months compared to when the project was in its initial stages. Though sources point at the Galaxy X naming, the new report from TWJ never used it. It will become Samsung’s third flagship series, joining the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note. The company might, however, push the units to market in a large scale only in the second-half ...